History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c71.s1.459

v5.c71.s1.459

As times changed easier substitutes (called *pratyāmnāyas*) were found and prescribed The word pratyāmnāya was used in this sense in the Āp. Śr. S. V. 20.18 (yadyanādhyo-gninādadhīta kāmam-evaikāṁ gāṁ dadyāt sā gavāṁ pratyāmnāyo bhavatīti vijñāyate), 6 30 9 and Śāṅ. Śr. S. 14 51.6 and other sūtras Saṁvarta²⁹⁰ states that if a sinner is unable to undergo the Prājāpatya penance, he may donate instead a cow yielding milk and if he cannot donate such a cow he may donate the full price of such a cow. Parāśara²⁹¹ (XII 63-64) provides four substitutes for a Prājāpatya penance viz the recital of the famous Gāyatrī mantra (Rg. III. 62 10) ten thousand times or 200 prāṇāyāmas, or bathing twelve times in a sacred watery place after drying the head on each bath, or taking to a journey of two yojanas towards a holy place. From the words of Gaut. 19 16 and 18 (quoted above in note 120) it follows that gold is a substitute for a cow by way of penance. The Brahmapurāṇa²⁹² provides that in the absence of a cow a *niṣka* or half niṣka or a quarter niska may be given The Caturviṁśatimata²⁹³ provides several pratyāmnāyas for Prājāpatya viz recital of Gāyatrī ten thousand times, standing in water, gift of a cow to a brāhmaṇa—these four (including Prājāpatya) are equal, as also a thousand *homas* with sesame, recitation of the whole *saṁhitā* of the veda, feeding twelve brāhmaṇas, Pāvakestī are equal. The Caturviṁśatimata²⁹⁴ stated that one should substitute the gift of one cow for Prājāpatya penance, of two cows for Sāntapana, of three cows for Parāka, Tapta-kṛcchra and Atikṛcchra and eight for Cāndrāyaṇa The result was that from medieval times at least even in the case of mahāpātakas there was a sliding scale of penances ultimately ending in feeding brāhmaṇas or making monetary or other presents to them. For example, the Mit (on Yaj. III 326) says that in the case²⁹⁵ of the twelve years' penance, optionally 360 prājāpatyas could be performed, each prājāpatya extending over twelve days, that if a man was unable to undergo this he should donate as many (i. e 360) milch cows, if that was impossible he may donate their price or 360 niṣkas or even half or quarter thereof &c. Yāj. III 309 provides (a lakh of) *homas* with sesame to the accompaniment of the Gāyatrī or making brāhmaṇas recite the Veda by the gift of sesame. Vas 28 18-19 (=Atri VI. 7-8) and Visnu Dh S 90 10 state that by feeding seven or five brāhmaṇas on the Full moon of Vaiśākha with sesame and honey a man becomes free of all sins. These provisions are maintained in almost all medieval works such as the Smṛtyarthasāra pp. 149, 155, Prāyaścittasāra p. 203, Pr. T. pp. 517, 541, Pr. Mayūkha p. 18 &c The same method is followed in penances for lesser periods. It is due to this provision in the smṛtis that in modern times men, when on death-bed, perform prāyaścittas for all their sins by donating a cow or more or by monetary presents to priests.295a